GARBSEN, GERMANY – LPKF Laser & Electronics reported revenue up 21% year-over-year to EUR 99.5 million for the first nine months of 2013.

LONDON – The global optical networks market will exceed $17.5 billion by 2018, for a 3.1% CAGR from 2012, says Ovum.

SOMERSET, UK -- EMS firm Marsden Smith has been sold out of administration, saving 15 workers from unemployment. The contract assembler, which was founded in 2007, had entered administration just a month before.

FLINT, MI -- A Detroit area judge has ordered Toyota to turn over documents related to a fatal crash attributed by the victim's family to sudden unintended acceleration. The family is looking for evidence that tin whiskers may have played a role in causing a key sensor to fail, thus preventing the auto from slowing as designed.

TORONTO – SMTC Corp. reported third-quarter revenue of $72.9 million, down 3.6% year-over-year, and up 12.3% sequentially.

MUNICH -- Productronica was off and running today, with 03015 packages the clear winner among the technical discussion trends. Attendance was generally strong all day on the assembly side, while the fabrication hall (singular) was light bordering on sparse.

LOUISVILLE, KY – Sypris Solutions reported third-quarter revenue of $76.3 million down 3% year-over-year.

TAIPEI -- Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai) reported consolidated revenues rose 13.2% year-over-year to NT$382.6 billion ($13 billion) in October. Revenue was up 13.3% sequentially on higher demand for new iPhones and the iPad Air PC, the company said.

SINGAPORE – Surface Mount Technology (Holdings) Ltd. posted revenue for the three months ended Sept. 30 of $25.07 million, up 34.3% year-over-year.

ATLANTA -- Researchers from Georgia Tech, the University of Tokyo and Microsoft Research have developed a novel method to rapidly and cheaply make electrical circuits by printing them with commodity inkjet printers and off-the-shelf materials. For about $300 in equipment costs, anyone can produce working electrical circuits in the 60 seconds it takes to print them.

ST. ALBANS, HERTFORDSHIRE, UK -- The ITRI Tin Supply Chain Initiative has rolled out new software for capturing data for the purposes of tracking raw minerals ultimately used in electronics manufacturing. The new tool is designed to help track minerals as part of iTSCi's due diligence program.

WARWICK, UK -- SMT Developments will spend a reported £1 million ($1.6 million) to acquire its building thanks to a UK government grant.